Welcome to Paisley Magazine’s 11th Anniversary Issue: #GONECOASTAL, where we are highlighting the multitude of advantages of living in Coastal Georgia. Meet Kelley, Kim, Rev. Abra and five “Men and Their Chairs,” Paisley’s annual salute to some of the coolest guys around.

We were out cruising in our CraigCat and got caught in a storm. We went into a small creek for some protection. Well, we managed to corner a large shark in the creek… talk about scary! Finally it swam between the floaters on the boat. What a relief!

My sister was driving the boat when she was a teenager. We were going pretty fast into a cove at Lake Murray. Dad told her to turn, and she said she couldn’t. As we got closer to running ashore, he screamed, “Turn!” She turned around with the steering wheel in her hands and screamed, “I can’t!” Dad lunged forward to cut the engine, and we barely missed barreling onto land.

One of the best things about Coastal Georgia is the abundance of public places our community affords for adult playtime. It’s no coincidence we are dedicating Paisley’s MAY issue to playing— #THEPOWEROFPLAY.

It’s always a thrill to hear your compliments on how Paisley Magazine has inspired, evoked your thoughts and/or been of great help to you. You save articles and recipes and pass copies on to others. You are our mission and we thank you. We wanted to make the most from your comments, so here’s…

…#EMPOWEREDBYPAISLEY, April’s theme! It exhibits exactly what you’ve told us – the importance of staying informed, in-touch, and empowered by sharing stories of significance. Meet our April lineup: Jennifer, Hilary and Linda. And, check-out Paisley’s April Calendar; chock-full of important and supportive community events.

“On the way to Jamaica, at the tender age of 18, I immediately had guys approaching me saying something I thought was an offer of a picture, and of course, I said – ‘yes’. What they were asking was my hand in marriage!”

“I was traveling in Sweden by train, it stopped, and everyone got off except me and my friend; we were busy talking, not paying attention. The train started moving and rolled into a dark tunnel and turned itself off. We had to pull the windows down and yell for help!”

“I was at Disney World where apparently I had split my pants in the back and did not know. A couple hours later, when I went to ride the magical teacups, I noticed my behind was cold on the seat! Now my family has a joke: ‘Why don’t we do what Mandy’s pants did at Disney and split!’”

#WorldwideWomen is Paisley’s March 2019 theme. We dedicate this issue to local women of a greater world; female entrepreneurs and ambassadors in service to others.

Beginning with Conni Laine (April 2018), local bluesy-soul singer and co-owner of The Blue Door, who recently celebrated a fantastic achievement in winning the 2019 South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting competition. The judges loved both song entries: “You’re not a Kid Anymore” and “Dreamer’s Lane.” Congratulations, Conni!

Thanks to Betty Foy Sanders, I’m back in awe of the color Red. Her intimate creative piece in a swirl of red and pink hues, is prominently displayed in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at Southeast Georgia Health System, Brunswick Campus:

“I met a really nice, well-educated guy back in my single days of the early ‘70s.  He turned out to be a warlock. He put a spell on my roommate and the following week she lost her job and her cat died!”

“I dated two guys at the same time. When they both showed up at my house at the same time, one held me down, while the other wanted to cut all my hair off so no one would date me. LOL! It didn’t happen. I still have all my hair!”

“My blind date was so short he asked me to take my shoes off for a kiss.”

All of us at Paisley Magazine are proud to continue to provide what we call The Best Read. Once again, we’ve found interesting local women and thought evoking editorial features in our first 2019 theme—#Find Your Balance. 

“The doctor I worked for and his wife were coming for a Christmas get-together, and I wanted everything to be perfect. I made two different dishes, covered them with foil, and placed them in the refrigerator in similar oven/fridge safe pans. Minutes before my guests arrived, I put one of the dishes in the oven to cook. When my boss walked in, he pointed out something was burning! I put the wrong dish in the oven; the congealed, strawberry pretzel salad was toast.”

“I gave the wrong present to my old boyfriend; it was supposed to go to my new boyfriend!”

What a year 2018 has been. It’s the year Paisley Magazine aged into 10 strong years of providing the best and most empowering read in South Coastal Georgia. And another year we were able to feature some of the best people in the world; you know, women and men who live right here—our neighbors, sharing their inspirational stories of just being them.

Once again, I’m expressing thanks for the world-wide humanitarian efforts of the Little Free Library non-profit organization. Their mission which encourages the sharing and reading of books within communities such as ours here along Georgia’s southern coast is Just. The. Best. 

Welcome to Fall (finally) and Paisley’s “Against All Odds” issue, we're sharing stories of people in our community and from around the world working to “beat the odds” in everyday challenges and personal wellness. Meet Josie, Shirley, the entire SOAR organization, and Lynda, whose enticing column invites you to buy a ticket to experience WIT at the Brunswick Actors’ Theatre.

Welcome to SEPTEMBER—where Paisley’s #AnAppleADay theme is featuring a rainbow of super foods and brain foods, the Cafeteria Crew of Sterling Elementary School, Pediatrician Dr. Melinda Peterlin, Tammy’s Body Makeover, news from the Stuttering Foundation of America and, much more…

“When I was in fifth grade students didn’t change classrooms, instead, the teachers came to us. One day one of the knuckle-headed boys decided to lock the English teacher out and run back to his seat before she arrived. Me, being of sound mind, figured I would politely unlock the door. To my mortification, the door stuck and wouldn’t open right as the teacher was arriving. I was so embarrassed because it looked like I had locked her out. Eventually, I got it unlocked, but the teacher gave me an accusing look. I never told her what actually happened.”

“Recently we added a doctor kit to our Home Living area of the classroom. I heard a little girl saying her “baby” was hot and needed her temperature to be taken. I looked over and she had the doll baby faced down, patting her on the back, telling her it’s ok and she would feel better, only to realize she was taking the baby’s temperature RECTALLY.”

How fun is it being downtown at the Library laying around reading books with Programs Librarian, Karen Larrick?  Super fun. Learning this month’s theme would be #SmartyPants –Karen quickly grabbed copies of Princesses Wear Pants and Panda Pants—thanks, Karen!

Recently, I met motivational speaker, Matilda Gibbons at her well-deserved Relaxation Makeover. (page 18) Listening to her interesting life stories, I began calling her tidbits of advice- “Matilda-isms”.

““Sis said I was being mean to a nurse at the hospital, but I was speaking up for my husband. She was asking too many questions.”

“A man was berating an elderly Walmart checker for asking to see his receipt for un-bagged items. He would not stop yelling at this old man. So I shot back, ‘What are you, the President? Do you have an important meeting to get to? Leave this man alone; he is doing his darn job, you jerk!’ He shut up, showed his receipt, and walked out with his tail between his legs.”

One of my favorite summertime invitations is to spend a creative hour with middle school girls at the Golden Isles YMCA Career Camp as they explore a variety of careers during their two-week session. Talented YMCA leadership and community volunteers share their career talents­—mine, of course, in the magazine industry.